Extension table for center insertion



m. mmwwrw y' v EXTENSION TABLE FOR CEN'IER'INSERTION Filed May 2, 194-7 INVENTOR. fig/PL- Cf' floor/g,

Patented Jan. 31, 1950 OFFICE EXTENSION TABLE FOR CENTER INSERTION' Earl C. Booth, Columbus, Ind., assignor to Noblittv Sparks Industries, Inc., Columbus, Ind a cor poration of Indiana Application May .2, 1947, Serial No. 745,434

2 claims (01. 311-42) This invention relates to an extension table and more particularly to an extension table the top of which is formed of sheet metal. It is an object of the invention to provide an improved means for slidably interconnecting the two sections of the table-top to permit the relative move ment necessary to accommodate for insertion and removal of a center leaf. A further object of my invention is to provide an interconnecting means which will support the two sections of the top with their upper surfaces flush with each other when the table is collapsed and which will not bind as the result of any eccentrically applied collapsing or extending effort.

In carrying out the invention, the two sections of the table-top are formed of sheet metal. The metal adjacent the opposed edges of the two top-sections is bent downwardly to provide vertical flanges engageable with each other when the table is collapsed. In addition, each section is provided with a transversely extending reinforcing rib of sheet-metal spaced from the aforesaid flange. The ribs and flanges of the two sections are provided with two laterally spaced sets of aligned openings, and a guide rod is slidably received in each such set. Desirablv, a bushing of non-metallic material is associated with each opening to prevent direct contact of the guide rod with the metal of the flange or rib in which. the opening is located. To prevent binding of the ro s, the holes in the flan es and the holes in the ribs are elongated in different planes. the holes in the flanges preferably being elongated in a vertical plane while the ho es in the ribs are elon ated in a horizontal plane.

The accompanying. drawing illustrates the invention:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a table in extended condition. a portion of the table-top being broken away to illustrate the construction more clearly; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the inner face of one of the sections of the table-top; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4; and Figs. 4 and 5 are longitudinal sections illustrating the mounting of the guide rod in the rib and flange, respectively. of each section.

The table shown in Fig. 1 comprises a pair of top-sections H! and a removable center leaf H. Each top section is formed of sheet-metal and provided across its inner end with a down-turned flange I 2 and around the remainder of its periphcry with a down-turned flange it. For a purpose which will become apparent hereinafter. the lower portion of each of the flanges i2 is offset inwardly with relation to its associated top section in, each such portion being indicated in the drawing by the reference numeral .14.

7 Each section of the top includes 'bracing and stiffening ribs I5 extending between the flanges i2 and I3 and to which,=at the corners of the table, legs H are secured. The bracing structure includes ribs 56 which extend transversely of each top-section at a distance :from the flange l2 and the'ends of which may be bent at right -angles,

as indicated at 5, and welded or otherwise se cured to the flanges l3. Near their outer ends,

the flanges I 2 and ribs 16 are provided with aligned sets of holes for the reception of guide rods 25!, conveniently formed of metal tubing.

Desirably, the rod-receiving openingsare pro-;

vided with bushings 2| which prevent direct con.- tact of each guide rod with the edges of the associated openings in the flanges and ribs. The rod-receiving openings are elongated, the openings in the ribs 16 preferably being elongated in a plane normal to the direction of elongation of the openings in the flanges 12. As shown in the.

drawing, the rod-receiving openings in the flange 52 of each top-section are elongated vertical-13%,:

while the openings in the ribs iii are elongated horizontally.

The bushings 2! are conveniently formed of some thermoplastic synthetic resin, such as cellulose acetate, and are provided exteriorly with annular grooves which receive the edges of the openings in the flanges l2 and ribs 16. The width of each such opening corresponds to the base diameter of the groove in the bushing, so

that movement of each bushing in the plane of its associated flange 42 or rib l6 will be confined to the direction in which the bushing-receiving hole is elongated. The central opening in each bushing, which opening receives the rod 20, is desirably deeply bell-mouthed in each face so as to permit the guide rod to depart at least to a slight extent from the plane of the bushing without binding therein.

As will be obvious from Fig. 5, the relative vertical dispositions of the meeting inner edges of the upper surfaces of the two top-sections III will depend upon the vertical dispositions of the bushing-receiving holes in the flanges l2; for the force of gravity will cause the adjacent inner ends of the two top-sections H] to drop to the limit permitted by engagement of the upper edges of the receiving-holes with the bottoms of the grooves in the bushings 2|. To insure that the upper surfaces of the two top-sections will be flush with each other, the bushing-receiving holes in the flanges l2 are accurately located at equal distances below the upper surface of each top section. To accomplish this result, the bushingreceiving holes in the flanges l2 are desirably not formed therein until after the flange 52 has been bent downwardly into its final form. By so doing, each top-section may be accurately located from the outer surface of the top during the formation of the bushing-receiving holes in the flange I2, and such holes will therefore be at the proper distance from the upper surface of the top. To prevent wear which might interfere with maintenance of the desired co-planar relationship between the inner ends of the two top sections, the metal surrounding each bushing-receiving opening in the flanges i2 is desirably formed to provide an axially extending flange 24, and the peripheral groove in each bushing 24 is made wide enough to receive such flange.

The elongation of the openings in the ribs l6 and flanges l2 permits considerable misalignment of the top-sections ID in both horizontal and vertical planes as the top sections are being moved toward or away from each other, while any tendency of the rods to bind because of such misalignment is eliminated. If misalignment of the top sections occurs in a horizontal plane, the bushings 2| in the ribs 16 slide horizontally relatively to such ribs, while if the misalignment occurs in a vertical plane, the bushings in the ribs l2 slide relatively thereto. While the bush ings, especially the bushings in the flanges 12, may be confined to the planes of the ribs or flanges with which they are respectively associated, the bell-mouthed rod-receiving openings in the bushings permit the rods, without binding, to assume positions displaced from the perpendicular to the bushing-planes.

The elongation of the bushing-receiving openings in the flanges i2 and ribs 15 not only tends to prevent binding when the two top sections are moved toward or away from each other but also serves to simplify the construction and reduce its cost; as the bushings may be formed of thermo-plastic material and warmed and deformed to permit their insertion into the elongated openings. Upon insertion of the guide rods 20 into the bushings, the latter are restored to their initial circular form.

Cotter pins 25 or other abutments provided on the guide rods 2!! beyond the ribs l limit ex tension of the table. It will be understood, of course, that when the table is extended the center leaf II will be put in place between the two topsections to rest on the guide rods 29. The inward oilsetting of the lower portions !4 of the flanges l2 provides clearance for the associated bushings 2| and permits the un-offset upper portions of the flanges to be brought together when the table is collapsed. Interengagement oi the flanges l2 locates the two top-sections in proper angular relationship; and as the openings in the flanges are not elongated horizontally, the two sections are also properly located laterally of each other so that the flanges I? at the sides of the sections will be aligned.

I claim as my invention:

1. An extension table, comprising a pair of top sections each formed of sheet metal and provided at its inner end with a downwardly projecting flange, each top-section also being provided with a vertical rib spaced outwardly from said flange, legs at the outer corners of each top-section, a pair of parallel, laterally spaced guide rods, said flanges and ribs being provided with sets of aligned openings through which said rods extend, and a bushing mounted in each opening and slidably receiving a guide rod, the openings in said flanges being elongated vertically to permit free vertical movement of the bushings therein and the openings in the ribs being elongated horizontally to permit free horizontal movement of the bushings therein, each of the openings in the flanges having a bushing-engaging flange extending axially of the bushing.

2. An extension table, comprising a pair of top sections each formed of sheet metal and provided at its inner end with a downwardly projecting flange, each top-section also being provided with a vertical rib spaced outwardly from said flange, legs at the outer corners of each top-section, a pair of parallel, laterally spaced guide rods, said flanges and ribs being provided with sets of aligned openings through which said rods extend and a bushing mounted in each opening and slidably receiving a guide red, the openings in said flanges being elongated vertically to permit free vertical movement of the bushings therein and the openings in the ribs being elongated horizontally to permit free horizontal movement of the bushings therein.

EARL C. BOOTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

